9.26.2012

I've been a-working, working, working, so it was my husband who reminded me that I still needed to pick a giveaway winner. Whoops.

(Thank you, Jarrod! Always looking out for me.)

Katy Upperman is the randomly-selected winner—I always use this—for the advanced copy of Mindi Scott's Live Through This. Hurrah, Katy!

Speaking of work, which these days means Isla and the Happily Ever After, I'd like to give a massive, sparkles and rockets, whipped cream and cherries, biscuits and gravy THANK YOU to my author-friend Myra McEntire, who has been responsible for 95% of my productivity since the beginning of summer. I thank my lucky stars every day that we found each other when we needed each other the most. Because of Myra, Isla will be an actual THING that you guys can BUY.*

*Also because of my publisher. I love you, Dutton!

Sooooooo I've been getting tons of questions about Isla on Twitter, but mainly the same ones again and again. I hope this Frequently Asked Questions will help:

WHEN WILL IT BE OUT?!?!!

There is no set release date, but we're hoping for Summer 2013.

WHEN WILL WE SEE THE COVER?!?!!

It doesn't exist yet. So . . . I'm not sure. My best guess is sometime this winter.

WHEN WILL WE GET A DESCRIPTION?!?!!

See the above answer, but maybe you'll get a teaser sooner than that.

IF YOU'VE ALREADY WRITTEN IT, WHY HAVEN'T YOU PUBLISHED IT YET?!?!!

I have not already written it. I am writing it. And my editor will be editing it. Also, publishing is superlong and time consuming. There are tons of awesome people involved and lots of boring-but-crucial steps. I promise you that you will have it as soon as it's ready to be had.

IS IT ABOUT ISLA AND JOSH?!?!!

My lips are sealed.

WILL ANNA AND ÉTIENNE AND LOLA AND CRICKET BE IN IT?!?!!

All I can say is that you will probably see the characters whom you want to see.

Thank you for being curious, everyone! I'm sorry that these answers couldn't be more exciting. Soon, soon. ;-)

9.20.2012

Last spring, I blurbed Mindi Scott's Live Through This, and it's finally release-time.

"Harrowing, sad, funny, and romantic. I couldn't put it down."

—STEPHANIE PERKINS, author of Anna and the French Kiss

I loved Mindi's debut Freefall—about a hot musician struggling with the accidental death of his best friend while falling for a girl with an automobile phobia and hanging with another girl who smells like gummy bears (I know, right?!)—so I was thrilled for the chance to read her second novel. And it didn't disappoint. Live Through This is . . . something even more.

A BIG something even more.

Here's the official description:

From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. It’s not perfect—her best friend is seriously mad at her, and her dance team captains keep giving her a hard time—but Coley’s adorable, sweet crush Reece helps distract her. Plus, she has a great family to fall back on—with a mom and stepdad who would stop at nothing to keep her siblings and her happy.

But Coley won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost perfect life is her own carefully crafted facade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now that Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

And I'm not the only one who loves it. Kirkus gave it a STARRED REVIEW and said: "What makes this more than another 'problem' novel is the author's steadfast refusal to deal in stereotypes and easy answers . . . required reading for anyone who's ever wondered 'why didn't they just tell someone?'"

YES.

As a former librarian, I especially appreciate that the novel tackles a very specific subject that I had yet to see elsewhere in young adult literature, which young adult literature very much needed. I don't want to say too much (spoilers), so I'll direct you to this (non-spoiler) letter from Mindi about why she wrote it.

Live Through This will be officially released on October 2nd, but I asked Mindi's editor for an advanced copy to give away now. Hurrah!

To enter, please leave a comment here on this post (on my actual blog, not on Goodreads or anywhere else that's being served by a feed) that includes your email address. I'll randomly select a winner this Monday, September 24th.

This giveaway is open internationally.

Mindi, some random tired-looking lady, Gayle, and Nina

I've met Mindi twice, and she's such a sweetheart! (Isn't it nice when an author you love is also an awesome person?) The last time was in the above picture, when Gayle Forman, Nina LaCour, and I were in Seattle for the final stop of our YA or Bust! tour. And Mindi gave me an adorable stuffed giraffe who JUST SO HAPPENS to play a role in Live Through This. :-)

Hi, there! I'm Steph, and I wrote ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR, and ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. I also edited the romantic holiday anthology MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME and the upcoming SUMMER DAYS & SUMMER NIGHTS.